PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
AVAILABILITY OF OBSCENE, VIOLENT AND PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL (23 February 1993)

That this House thanks Superintendent Michael Hames and his colleagues of the Obscene Publications Squad for acceding to the request of Right honourable and honourable Members to be available on 24th and 25th February in the Jubilee Room to provide honourable Members with the opportunity to discuss the difficulties which are experienced in dealing with the shockingly obscene, violent, and pornographic material which is increasingly available in the United Kingdom; expresses its revulsion that this material features the depiction of cruelty and violence towards women, children, and men, that it involves acts of bestiality as well as other acts of extreme depravity; expresses its profound concern that the Obscene Publications Act and associated legislation fails to provide the necessary legal framework for the prosecution of those who produce and disseminate this material; welcomes the acceptance by the Prime Minister that there are great and obvious problems in this area; and invites the Secretary of State for the Home Department to respond to the concern of honourable Members of this House, from all political parties, by undertaking a wide-ranging and thorough departmental review both of the provisions and of the enforcement of the law, and to make it his policy to bring forward proposals for legislation at an early date.

Sponsored by:
Ann Winterton (Conservative)